Edze Bierema

It’s easy to see that Edze had a goal to engage with all of the unique challenges that university study has to offer.

Originally from the Netherlands, Edze had taken on a whole lot of opportunities at UC with his passion for business, from competitions, to club executive roles, and even a study trip overseas.

‘Being at university has opened up a lot of doors and exposed me to amazing opportunities. Studying at University has allowed me to develop tremendously as a person,’ he says.

‘UC seemed to have the most exciting and warm atmosphere for the universities I had seen, and I have absolutely relished my time here. I think I chose well.’

Since first starting at UC, Edze had gone on to compete in the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship’s Lemonade Stand Challenge, Sustainability Challenge, and Business Case Competition every year of study.

He has also been a part of the Aspiring Leaders’ Forum, been a CPA Australia Student Ambassador, and was Treasurer and then President for the Canterbury University Pong Society (CUPS).

Topping off all of his accomplishments were his roles as the entré Competitions Manager and CEO for 2018 and 2019.

‘Engaging with the likes of entré has given me the opportunity to apply what I’m learning in real-life scenarios. UC has an incredible clubs scene which offers so many opportunities to grow, learn, and have an incredible amount of fun.’

Completing two internships during study also put his skills to the test within real world settings. Edze travelled to Bangkok, Thailand for six weeks of study in the PACE 295 course, with funding from a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia; and in the PACE 495 course he had the great opportunity to ‘produce genuine work’ for Rabobank New Zealand.

His initial Bachelor of Commerce degree in Economics and Finance were aimed towards his desired career in banking finances.

‘My study has primarily taught me how to learn, and how to do so quickly and effectively. University has taught me to be able to think on my feet and problem solve,’ he says.

Moving into postgrad, Edze’s interests in agriculture were central to his Master of Policy and Governance studies.

Interviewing farmers across the Mid Canterbury region, Edze’s research thesis investigated the effects of their transition to more sustainable practices, and the wider influence of the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) policy on the agricultural industry.

‘I chose to follow undergrad up with a relatively unrelated master’s degree on the premise that it pushed me, and the world of governance is so widely applicable,’ he says.

In the future, Edze hopes to incorporate all of his studies into his career and go on to start a bank focused on supporting local agri-businesses.